Jewish teen with valid Euro 2020 final ticket was ejected after being ‘shoved’
17-year-old Jonathan Kobrin said he already scanned his pass into the ground before being grabbed by stewards and kicked out
A Jewish schoolboy was ejected from the Euro 2020 final at Wembley despite having a valid ticket, after he was “shoved” through a turnstile by a hooligan.
Jonathan Kobrin, 17, from Hampstead told The Times of his ordeal on Sunday night, explaining how he had already scanned his pass before stewards kicked him out.
The teenager was given a ticket by his parents and arrived at the ground at 5pm amid chaotic scenes, with thousands of supporters outside the home of English football – many without access to the game.
Ahead of the final of Euro 2020 between England and Italy, the Metropolitan Police warned supporters without tickets not to travel to Wembley due to crowding.
Videos later emerged of supporters forcing their way into the ground, and an investigation was launched by UEFA, Europe’s sporting authority.
He told the Times: “I had my ticket ready. There was no one behind me but as soon as I had scanned my ticket and it went green I was shoved through the turnstile and he essentially pushed me through with it.” He explained that stewards “grabbed me by the arms and threw me into this room” before he was evicted, alongside the individual who pushed him through the turnstile – who was also eventually also kicked out.
An FA spokesperson said: “We will carry out a full review and investigation into the events that took place at Wembley Stadium before and during the UEFA EURO 2020 Final. This will be done in collaboration with the Police, the Greater London Authority, the Safety Advisory Group and the tournament delivery stakeholders.
“Security and stewarding numbers for the UEFA EURO 2020 Final exceeded the requirements for the match and were greater than any other previous event at Wembley Stadium. However, the behaviour of the people who illegally forced their way into the stadium was unacceptable, dangerous and showed total disregard for the safety and security protocols in place. No steward or security staff should be subjected to this type of behaviour and we thank them for their support on the night. We also apologise to anyone at the match whose experience was affected by this unprecedented level of public disorder.
“We will continue to work with the relevant authorities to identify and take action against these people where possible.”
The FA did not comment on the individual incident.
Kobrin’s family declined to speak to Jewish News but confirmed he is Jewish.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
